D'Souza Martial Arts Academy

Tae Kwon Do Training for Kids, Teens & Adults

A Brief History of Taekwondo

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A Brief History of Taekwondo

The word Taekwondo translates to “the way of the fist and foot” although the term has only been in use since 1955.  The ancient form of this martial art began 2,300 years ago in Korea.  During that time in history, Korea was divided up into 3 kingdoms which were constantly at war with each other fighting for land.  It was during this time that within each kingdom, warrior groups were formed and trained for combat using weapons and their hands and feet for defense.

Distinctly different fighting styles were developed until 1955 when a group of instructors, historians and prominent members of society brought everyone together to unify the different teaching and fighting styles and called it Taekwondo.  

In 1973, the World Taekwondo Federation was established to preserve the integrity of this martial art and by 1988, there was a Taekwondo demonstration during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea.  Taekwondo became an officially recognized Olympic sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Watch the video below for a historical overview of Taekwondo.

If you are interested in learning more about Taekwondo in Waterloo, join a free trial class and then decide if it’s for you.  Ms. Charlotte is a 3rd degree black belt and has been teaching kids and adults for more than 10 years.

 

Goal Setting in Martial Arts

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Goal Setting in Martial Arts for Success

Happy New Year!  The start of a new year is a great time to set goals for the coming year.  Why?  Because if you don’t know where you want to go, you will have a hard time getting there.  So, setting a written goal and making a plan to get there is the key to success.

And, setting goals is key to success in any area of your life.  Not only in martial arts or Taekwondo but in the area of your finances, your career, your relationships and more.  People are most happy and feel more confident when they are working towards a goal.  

Studies on goal setting have shown that people who write down their goals are far more likely to achieve them than those who do not.  It’s as if writing down your goals helps to cement them in your subconscious and then the stars align (so to speak) to help you fulfill your desires.

But it’s important to set a goal that is realistically achievable for you.  So, taking martial arts as an example, maybe you want to obtain your black belt.  Talk to your instructor about a realistic time frame for achieving your goal.  So, if you are currently a white belt, it is unlikely you will be able to obtain a black belt within 6 months.  

But, it is achievable within 2-4 years depending on how hard you work.  Next, you will want to break down that goal into smaller chunks and perhaps plan on testing for your next belt level every 6 months.  If at the end of your black belt journey, you miss your completion date for when you wanted to obtain your black belt, don’t beat yourself up because you’ve probably achieved far more than you would have otherwise.   Just set a new goal for your black belt completion date.

Most importantly, celebrate your achievements along the way because this will give you the drive and energy to keep going to your next belt along the way to black.

Watch today’s video and enjoy hearing about this man’s martial arts journey with goal setting.

If you are looking for a Martial Arts Studio in Waterloo where you can obtain your black belt, drop by and try a free class or call 519-725-5550 for more information.

A Christmas Story Fight Scene – What Not to Do

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A Christmas Story Fight Scene – What Not to Do

The holidays are upon us and many favourite Christmas movies are playing on the t.v. right now.  A favourite for many people is A Christmas Story (1983).  The movie follows the main character Ralphie who spends most of his time trying to avoid a bully at school and dreaming about Santa bringing him a toy rifle for his Christmas.  

One day, as Ralphie is being teased relentlessly by his “bully” he loses his mind, jumps the kid and starts beating on him.  While it’s satisfying to watch in the context of a movie and we are rooting for Ralphie to break the kid’s nose, this is not the way to deal with bullies.  

First of all, if you throw the first punch, then you will be the one to get in trouble, particularly if it is at school.  Secondly, this may only set you up for retaliation from the “bully” and then it may escalate even more from there.  Better to ignore him (or her) or use your words to defuse the situation.  This is what we teach in Martial Arts.

Martial Arts is for the Dojang and for self-defense.  It is not to be used to beat someone up at school or to beat up your little brother or little sister.  And, the odd thing is that when you study martial arts, you are far less likely to even experience bullying from anyone.  Kids who study martial arts develop a strong level of confidence in themselves over time.  They stand up straighter and so presumably, others who are bullies do not see them as a target.  

If you want to learn martial arts in Waterloo, visit our contact page and arrange to try out a free class.  You will have a great time and make great friends.  

 

Martial Arts Workout in Less Than 5 Minutes

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Martial Arts Workout in Less Than 5 Minutes

There’s no doubt that martial arts and Taekwondo provide a great overall workout.  Not only do you get a great cardio workout but your muscles get a great workout also.  But what if between classes you want to build your strength and stamina but don’t have a lot of time?  You can still benefit from a great challenging martial arts inspired workout even if you only have 5 minutes to spare.

Watch today’s video for a challenging workout that you can do in less than five minutes which will give you all over toning and conditioning.  A word of caution however, you might want to do a bit of jogging on the spot or around the block before doing this workout so that you don’t injure yourself.  We think you will enjoy the scenery also, this guy has a great set up that looks to be in his backyard.

If you’re not already attending martial arts classes, then consider D’Souza Martial Arts in Waterloo, Ontario for Taekwondo training.  Our school offers classes for all ages, from age 5 to 85.  Not only will you have fun, you’ll get a great workout too.  Contact us today at 519-725-5550.

Top 10 Martial Arts Movies

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Top 10 Martial Arts Movies of All Time

If you’re a fan of Taekwondo or Martial Arts, then you’re likely a fan of a few classic martial arts movies.  Ranking your favourites from best to worst is a matter of personal opinion but many people will include plenty of the same movies on their lists.

Today we are featuring a YouTube clip from WatchMojo.com which ranks the top 10 Martial Arts movies of all time as follows:

10. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
9. The Matrix
8. The Karate Kid (1984)
7. Seven Samurai
6. Ong-bak
5. Fist of Legend
4. The Way of the Dragon
3. Kill Bill Vol. 1
2. The Legend of the Drunken Master
1. Enter the Dragon

Watch the video compilation below and let us know in the comments if you agree or feel that any of your favourites have been missed.

If you are not yet a student of martial arts then consider taking a free class with D’Souza Martial Arts in Waterloo to see if it’s right for you.  Call 519-725-5550 for more information or contact us here.